Soup for lunches.

January 29, 2009

I do my best to cook most of the food Evan and I eat (we do make an exception on Friday nights, when we go out to our favorite restaurant, the Neptune Diner—we’re not fancy), including our lunches. We both work in midtown Manhattan, home of the $8.00 Tossed Salad of Unknown Origins. We like to eat organic and/or local as much as possible (again, Neptune is the exception…), keep our fat/calorie consumption under control, and be a little frugal, so it just makes sense to plan ahead a bit and bring lunches from home.

On Sundays, I generally cook two big pots of soup or stew. I divide them up into individual portions and put them in the freezer. Packing a lunch bag becomes so easy—just grab a container from the freezer and an apple or carrots, and that’s it. I know if I had to prepare a lunch every morning (or the evening before), we’d wind up buying lunch every day and easily blowing through $100 a week.

This week, I made Curried Black-Eyed Pea Soup (I started with this recipe but made many modifications based on the reviews) and Vegetarian Chili. Both were delicious, but my chili recipe really can’t be beat. It is SO GOOD. Trust me on this. Make a pot this weekend—you’ll love it. (And don’t skip the balsamic vinegar!)

i’m moving into my first place this weekend (very exciting) and will now have to start cooking for myself 🙁 i will definitely be trying your chili recipe! especially since it seems to keep well in the freezer for up to a week 🙂 i will NOT be cooking every night.lol.

Have you tried Mark Bittman’s Tempeh Chili with Black Beans? With the roasted garlic, and the honey, and the chipotle? Because right now that’s winning my best veggie chili award. But I will try yours nonetheless, because I love veggie chili.

anna, i have to confess i’m not into design but i just love your blog. it’s the business. thanks for reminding me i need to start bringing my dang lunch again~i used to be really good but after 5 years of goodness i turned bad.

I am a cornfed midwestern girl at heart, though now I live in the gateway to the south (dc) and I am ashamed to admit it, but…what is lunch without meat? Are these recipes satisfying? I am afraid I would be raiding the vending machine in an hour.

I’m all over your chili recipe! We always make a big pot of soup over the weekend. Corn chowder has been the popular choice as of late. It’s so nice to have leftovers handy, and soup always seems to be better on day 2 or 3.

Hello, I am new to your blog…I love it. I also love curried soups, I will for sure be trying this one. I made a curried pumpkin bisque over thanksgiving, it turned out pretty nice. The curry and pumpkin go great with each other, you should try it sometime.

I do the same thing. Lunch in the city IS expensive. And I LOVE Hale & Hearty soups and salads. But many times you can make a soup just as good at home. Bravo to you on saving money. $9.00 is way too much to spend on a small soup and salad. That’s prob what it cost you to make the whole pot!

Hey! I just randomly stumbled on your blog and what a delight! I admire you so much for eating healthy and bringing your lunch. Living in the city, it is too convenient to just go out to buy your lunch! (and I only live in little Toronto, I’d find it more tempting in Manhattan!) You have inspired me to force my hubby to bring his lunch! I can’t wait to try both of these recipes! Thank you for sharing!

erin: If you want meat in your chili, I’m sure there are other recipes out there better suited for it — this recipe really is intended to be vegetarian, and between the beans and the bulgar wheat, I can’t imagine meat being a welcome addition. Make it anyway and don’t mention to your husband that there’s no meat in it — why would it matter? Here’s a description of bulgar wheat, by the way. You should be able to find it at just about supermarket, usually in the natural foods or bulk grains section. It’s absolutely necessary for this recipe!

larissa: I don’t use any particular kind of container, I just have a bunch of random plastic containers (like Snap-Locks, etc.). I don’t like keeping (or heating) my food in plastic, though, so I’m looking for a leakproof, lightweight glass solution to replace them. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

jennifer in sf: I haven’t tried Bittman’s recipe, but I will definitely look it up! I’m always looking for more delicious soups to make, thank you. 🙂

Denise Smith: I don’t know what meat has to do with a meal being filling, but I assure you — this chili will leave you STUFFED! The black-eyed pea soup is a bit lighter (though it does have meat in it…again, I don’t think the absence or presence of meat has anything to do with whether a meal is satisfying), but paired with some crackers or a piece of bread, it’s very satisfying. I was a total vegetarian for for over 15 years (and eat very little meat now), and I can’t recall ever feeling deprived!

bkroll: I’ve also been making an acorn squash-based curry soup (with coconut milk!) lately, and I agree, the combination is wonderful!

I use these Pyrex glassware containers for storage and they’re awesome. I keep some cutlery at my desk too so I don’t have to use plastic spoons and forks. Makes a homemade meal at work even more sophisticated.

I got one of these for Christmas this year for bring soup to work. http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=1&SKU=12151799
It’s great because it seals very tightly and the plastic lid doesn’t really touch the food (particularly while microwaving) I wouldn’t describe it as light and it may not be the prettiest, design-wise, but it’s really practical.

Oh yum! I love to mix a lil pasta with a chicken or beef flavored bullion cube, add some fresh veggies (celery, peppers, oregano)and beans, plus a lil cajun spice mix for a kick. When you’re feeling under the weather, the spice clears you right up!

My boyfriend chops up an apple and throws it in our veggie chili. It’s delicious – but never quite as good reheated as it is fresh off the stove. I’m definitely going to try out your recipe (but maybe with an apple thrown in).

What a brilliant idea! I’m embarrassed to admit something like this never even crossed my mind. I will definitely be doing this since I am starting Weight Watchers this Thursday. I do great cooking dinner, but lunches are my downfall. This will definitely help.

I agree with the pyrex recommendation. It’s the best solution I’ve found so far.

Okay, this totally off the subject. But I’ve been admiring your blog and your beauty post for awhile now. 🙂 You seem to have such pretty skin and texture. You always look so pretty and well put-together 🙂
Lately, I’ve been feeling eeky and I’ve been hating the texture of my skin and I can’t seem to find the perfect foundation with good coverage without feeling like I have a billion layers of cake on me? So my question is:

I decided to start keeping track of our household’s (which consists of just me and my husband) expenses for the year. I don’t understand where our money goes because I don’t care to shop much and we stopped eating out so much. I tend to make lunch, but sometimes I don’t. Usually I just don’t make lunch once a week. Well, wouldn’t you know that about 1/4 of our food expenses for the month came from eating lunch out? Isn’t that crazy! There’s no reason for that.

So yesterday I realized I need to make freezable lunches on the weekends for the days I don’t feel like making lunch. It never occurred to me that I could make two soups at one time. What a great suggestion! That definitely keeps it interesting. And a big thanks to the folks who suggested some of the bed, bath, and beyond storage options. I, too, don’t care to use plastic if I can avoid it. Especially when storing tomato-based soups.

Thanks, everyone, for the glass storage recommendations! I will definitely check them out and hopefully stock up. Out with the plastic, once and for all!

two Excited nests: I don’t remember exactly what I changed, but I did use less broth (4 cups) and more peas (3 cans drained and rinsed, since I couldn’t find dried). I also doubled the spices, added some garam masala, and added a carrot. Next time, I’ll probably cut the broth back to 3 cups and add a cup of light coconut milk in its place.

Karla: My skin is not really anything fabulous (quite the opposite!), it’s just good makeup and a very strict regiment night and day. I’ll post about it eventually, but it’s a little embarrassing how much work is takes for me to look halfway decent! As for foundation, lately I’ve been using Rimmel Lasting Finish (very nice for such a low price!) with a light dusting of Lancome Photogenic powder (translucent). I’ve been using this powder for years, and it reflects light beautifully.

Thank you, Anna. I’ll be looking forward to your post, and will be definitely be trying the Rimmel and Lancome.
Ah, don’t be embarrassed!!! I think we all have our funny regimens.:) And and, you are gorgeous!!

I tried this for a whole month last winter and although it helped me shed some pounds and time, I got really bored off of soup. So I started doing a whole lot of weekend cooking and freezing for our lunches – grilled chicken, vegetables, etc – it was like frozen entress but with real food. It definitely helped save time during the week and helped watch the calories – two important factors when you’re a college grad or just a busy individual!

Okay, now I am making both your Chili and SmittenKitchen’s Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad http://tinyurl.com/bq6tcg this weekend. That and brown rice should see me through lunch for the next week!

This is a fantastic idea! I usually send my partner off with our leftovers each morning, but now that I have a job that certainly wont be enough. Two soups is also great for differing tastes. My dream is to have vichyssoise every day, but my partner likes something a bit more spicy 😉

I was admiring the Rubbermaid storage containers for produce. They have a piece on the bottom which prevents the greens, etc. from sitting in moisture. But they are plastic-so, no. I have come to the conclusion that storage of food-fresh, organic produce, meats, etc.- really goes against the grain (!) of their inherent…well,freshness. Shopping everyday or two is ideal. When I can’t, I do the same as you by cooking up big batches of soups and warm stews. We store them in glass or porcelain covered vessels in the fridge. And take them to work or wherever in stainless or glass containers. Yes, a bit heavy but worth it. I always feel/think that a glass container is like organic cotton-they both are porous and breathe! In the pantry I store a few things in glass as well-I don’t like cardboard boxes-so we buy small amounts from the bulk bins. by the way,today NPR had a piece on the damages we incur from residual plastics in our system.
Happy weekend cooking!

I love soups too and for winter they are the perfect food. I like your Curried Black-Eyed Pea Soup recipe. I love anything curried though lol. I take soup to work for lunch most days in winter because its more filling and warms you up at the same time.

I completely agree with you on loving soups/stews! Are you vegetarian, Anna? I also agree on not wanting to use plastic to store/heat up food. And definitely NO plastic wrap in the microwave! That is so dangerous, and it makes me sad that some people don’t know about the dangers of it. I’m wondering, though, if your facial powder contains talc. I’ve heard that talc is similar to aesbestos, and should be avoided. I’ve since switched to make-up that does not contain talc. Just another tidbit of info. to look into, as if there isn’t already enough for us to worry about!

thank you for sharing anna! i try to do the same thing here, although my husband posesses this incredible ability to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich about every day of his life and be perfectly content. we are so picky about the food that we purchase and prepare at home (local, organic, in season), why blow that much on lunch every day when half of the time you don’t know what you’re really getting? congrats on making the time to do this every week.

A peek into your pot & pan collection and tools would be great as well as a peek into your cabinet organization. I have struggled with organizing those cabinets for years. I can’t wait to try your recipies. Thanks.

we rocked your veggie chili tonight! it was so yummy, and very filling. packed it up, put ’em in the fridge, and now I have lunch for the week. my boyfriend is a veggie head who loves the packaged chili. he said your chili was “so flavorful” and “way better” than any other he has had. thanks so much for sharing! i will be passing it along now!

I made your chili this afternoon and am looking forward to having it for lunches this week. Thanks for sharing your recipe! I have wanted to go vegetarian for some time now and am always on the lookout for great dishes. If you ever are so inclined I would love to see more of your soup/stew recipes. I also made a yummy apple butter banana bread today if anyone is interested in the recipe.

This has nothing to do with soup and everything to do with Morrissey. A friend forwarded this to me as she knows what a big The Smiths fan I was (and continue to be). When I opened the link the words that came from my mouth where ‘holy shit’ and thought that I had to send you the link immediately.

ok. so I tried this recipe on the weekend and it’s a keeper! You’re spot on about the balsamic vinegar – crucial, don’t skip it. The first pot I made has already gone, so I’m off to make another batch. Feel free to add more fab recipes. Love em!

I made a pot of chilli last night for my lunches this week. I used your recipe and the recipe that my boyfriend made up. We use TVP (dehidrated soy) in our chilli to give it some volume and it kindof acts like the “meat” of the chilli. I added corn, celery and carrots like in your recipe. I’m looking forward to lunch today!

I agreed with all the others that thought the chili looked fabulous, SO I made it for our Superbowl Sunday (even though I didn’t watch it). It was great Sunday night and as lunch today AND I was confident enough in the taste to send a bowl to my 85 yr old neighbor. You speak the truth about this chili… great! I’ve been following your blog since last summer… love your home style and enthusiasm about design (and your little dogs, too!) I’m inspired. Thanks for sharing!

I made the chili last night in anticipation for dinner (and leftovers) this week and snuck a bite, and it is really good! I left out the balsamic – because I’m feeling wimpy and don’t want to change the flavor b/c I like it as is. Maybe I’ll try a little in my individual portion. I really like the addition of wheat – I’ve never used it before.

Another good, simple one pot dish is peppers and tomato’s over rice. It’s basically a ‘toss in what you want’ dish – but the base is:

– you put a little oil in a pan, cook the peppers & onion about 5 minutes, add the garlic for another minute, add the tomatos,cumin & red pepper flakes, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes and serve over cooked rice with some nice bread.

If you eat fish, you can add fish fillet (any nice white fish) – just lay it over the simmering veggie and it steams with the lid on.

Can I just say thank you! Your chili recipe is amazing! I’ve been an anti-inflamatory diet for about a month, which doesn’t leave much for me to eat, so I tried this over the weekend. My husband and I loved it!! In fact I made a 2nd pot last night! I had to cut the wheat out, but it was still fantastic!!

question – on the orla kiely flower blossom wallpaper you used in the ‘vegetable,’ are the leaves tan or gray? i can’t tell from any of the pictures i’ve seen online and was thinking of covering one wall of my light gray bathroom in it … also, any idea where i can get my hands on a roll? 🙂 thanks!

Since I ran out of time to make this yesterday afternoon, the hubby put all the ingredients in a slow cooker over night. I’d never even heard of bulgar wheat until now. It is SO GOOD. We both even had a bowl of it for breakfast! With a dollop of greek yogurt & multigrain bread:D So much flavor, I can’t wait to have my lunch today 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!